Customizing default user accounts

[powellbc]

We have a notebook program for students which contains a customized user account/profile. At this time we are doing it in a brute force way though: creating a user account with the wallpapers, etc. we want and then manually copying that user's User Template/English.lproj file over to "/System/Library/User Template/English.lproj" Apps are being deployed as part of our deployment configuration.

I know there must be a better way to do the customization bit. Preferably I would create a base using InstaDMG/AutoDMG and then use a package or script to configure the default user. Or, convert the image source and drop the files in. However, it is important to note that the machines will NOT be managed after imaging. They are delivered to students, not employees. So, no MCX, no profile management. Can anyone point me in the correct direction?

[powellbc]

Small Update: To start, the only thing we really need to customize is the wallpaper and the default search location for Wallpaper files. Using Convert to Source in Composer on an AutoDMG created image, I created a folder of wallpapers in /Library/Desktop Pictures, so basically I just need to set the default wallpaper and search location.

Dropping in a System level root cert for our wireless would be useful too but is not essential.

[barnesaw]

Assuming Mavericks, the desktop background is no longer controlled by a plist so you will need to modify something like Rich Trouton's script to set the User Template background.
http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2013/10/26/mavericks-desktop-background-picture-settings-moved-from...

[powellbc]

Thanks for the info, that should be very useful.

I am also wondering about the built in apps like iLife as well, which may prevent me from using instaDMG. I am not sure there is a good way to include those in the image without capturing one the old fashioned way. Basically what we are trying to do is deliver a laptop to a user with all of the Apple SW that is normally included but also customize the user experience a bit. It's a bit complicated.

[barnesaw]

Rich also has a write-up on saving App Store downloads to deploy outside the App Store, and I have seen write-ups elsewhere on creating a blank App Store receipt to allow users to update. Might be the easiest method for you.

[powellbc]

As I noted earlier, our primary need to prepare the notebooks was to lightly customize it (adding desktop backgrounds and setting the default), so what I did was make a package which adds the images to /Library/Desktop Backgrounds/ and has a postflight script which replaced the defaultdesktop.jpg alias in /System/Library/CoreServices.

What is nice about this technique is we are completely passing over imaging it—Casper imaging simply applies the SW and desktop packages and reboots it. It is much faster and no need to worry about insterstitial builds, messing with the default profile, etc.

Long term my only concern is an update overwriting the default background, but since most people change their wallpaper anyway it should not be a big deal.